Institutionalisation

• The effects are delayed intellectual development such as low IQ, delayed emotional development, damaged internal working model and disinhibited attachment.
• If the 165 orphans were:

  Adopted before 6 months their average IQ was 102

  After 6 months 86

  After 2 years 77
• AO3

  :) - Practical applications

  Provided the research to create legislation on key workers within institutions.

  Led to positive ethical implications as now infants must have a specific key worker which they may develop themselves with.

  Increases the validity of the study.
• AO3

  :(

  No further research was conducted after age 15 and so we don't know whether the effects of institutionalisation were fully reversible with appropriate care.

  We don't know the effects of institutionalisation on the internal working model in later relationships.
• AO3

  :) - Longitudinal

  Using a longitudinal study design is a strength because it controls participant variables.

  Using a cross-sectional design means that different orphans would be used, each with their different stories and dispositions which could cause inconsistent results.

  This increases the internal validity of the study and hence makes his findings on the effects of institutionalisation reliable.
• AO3

  :( - Issues of causality

  Can't suggest whether low IQ is because of the effects of instituionalisation or because there was a lack of mental stimulation within the facility.

  Therefore you can't establish cause and effect and thus the study may lack face validity.